Whole-Grain Bliss for Queens Bread-Lovers

The hungry hordes that have descended on six-month-old La Boulangerie show just how much Forest Hills was yearning for a good French bakery. The spot's exemplary baguette has won attention, but wriskit says the truly outstanding bread in the lineup is a dense whole-grain loaf encrusted with nuts and seeds. Even without butter, he says, it's "a meal in itself." gargupie agrees: "It's sweet, nutty and just addictive. I [have] to limit myself to purchase half a loaf just so I don't inhale the entire thing."

Among La Boulangerie's sweet offerings, wriskit likes the danishes and the simple, buttery gâteau Breton. But the croissants can be on the leathery side, he adds, and are no match for those at neighborhood favorite Bonelle Pastry Shop. Beyond baked goods, there are salads, sandwiches, and, on weekends, great omelets cooked in the oven—bacon and bell pepper; mushroom and sun-dried tomato; or spinach, tomato, and mozzarella. But wriskit observes that many hounds are content just to hang around in the inviting space with a cup of coffee and a newspaper, "like in the Village or Europe."